Half to heney c



(No Model.)

J. L. HIGHBARGER. FINGER BAR FOR REAPE RS AND MOWERS.

Patented Sept. 7, 1886.

lllllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIRII 2% e em ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. Hmlmljlhagnphef, Wnhinglon, n,c

a part of the bar A.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. HIGHBARGER, OF SHARPSBURG, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO HENRY O. MUMMA, OF SAME PLACE.

FINGER-BAR FOR REAPERS AND MOWERS.

5J1! ll-CIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,905, dated September 7, 1886.

Application filed August 17, 1885. Serial No. 174,639. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J Ol-IN L. HrenBAnonR, a citizen of the United Slates,and a resident of Sharpsburg, in the county of \Vashington and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Finger-Bars for Reapers and Mowers 5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view. Fi 2 is a section taken on the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom view. Fig. 4 is a side view of the finger. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spring-key.

This invention has relation to finger-bars of reaping and mowing machines; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, theletter A designates a portion of the finger-bar, and B one of the fingers secu red thereto.

(J is a cleat block or projection, of wrought metal, preferably, which is secured to or forms This block is formed with a tapering dovetail bearing-slot, D, or groove, or with a box-seat, which tapers lengthwise i'rom front to rear, as shown. The fiir ger B is formed with a tapering shank, E, which is in upper portion dovetail in cross section, and the upper dovetail portion is designed to engage the bearing 1) when the finger is in position. Below the dovetail portion the finger is usually made of full breadth in the shank by forming the lateral flanges F,which, when the finger is in position, cover thejoints made with the block and assist in holding the finger firmly in place. The dovetail portion of the shank springs from the shoulder-offset G of the finger-head, which is designed to en-' gage the edge of the block. \Vhere a boxseat is used, the shank of the finger will not,

be made dovetail in cross'section. The shank of the finger is made longer than the cleat O, and it is provided with a transverse slot or bearing, H, to receive the removable key K, which is preferably a spring-key re-enforced by a rigid piece, a, which is placed between the leaves I) b and extends to the end of the loop 0. The key made in this way is very strong, and easily driven in or out withoutinjury. The key is in position behind the rear end of the cleat and in close engagement therewith, so that it is not liable to be casually struck or displaced during the operation of the machine.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure lay Letters Patent, is

1. The combination,with the tapering dove tail bearing-slot in the cleat on the under side I of the finger-bar, of the tapering linger-shank dovetail in cross-section in its upper portion, and having lateral flanges in its lower portion overlapping the slot in the cleat, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the finger-bar and its cleat having the tapering dovetail bearingslot, of the finger having the tapering dovetail shank to fit the slot in the cleat, and flanged along its lower portion to overlap the slot, and projecting in rear of the cleat to receive a removable key, substantially as specified.

lu testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. HIGHBARGER. \Vitnesses:

THEO. MUNGEN, PHIL. G. MAsI. 

